Process for the conversion of a crude glycerol, crude mixtures of naturally derived multicomponent aliphatic hydrocarbons or esters thereof to a chlorohydrin

ABSTRACT

A process for converting a crude glycerol, crude mixtures of naturally derived multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons or esters thereof to a chlorohydrin, by contacting the crude glycerol, crude mixtures of naturally derived multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons or esters thereof starting material with a source of a superatmospheric partial pressure of hydrogen chloride for a sufficient time and at a sufficient temperature, and wherein such contracting step is carried out without substantial removal of water, to produce the desired chlorohydrin product; wherein the desired product or products can be made in high yield without substantial formation of undesired overchlorinated byproducts; wherein said crude glycerol, said ester of crude glycerol, or mixture thereof is derived from a renewable raw material. Chlorohydrins made by the process of the present invention are useful in preparing epoxides such as epichlorohydrins.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of co-pending application Ser. No. 11/710,010 filed Feb. 22, 2007, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 11/628,269, filed Jul. 18, 2005, which claims the benefit of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/628,269 (PCT/US05/025443), filed Jul. 18, 2005, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional application No. 60/589,683, filed Jul. 21, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a process for converting a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon or an ester thereof to a chlorohydrin. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for converting a crude glycerol, crude mixtures of naturally derived multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons or esters thereof to a chlorohydrin. Chlorohydrins, in turn, are useful in preparing epoxides such as epichlorohydrins.

Epichlorohydrin is a widely used precursor to epoxy resins. Epichlorohydrin is a monomer which is commonly used for the alkylation of para-bisphenol A; the resultant diepoxide, either as a free monomer or oligomeric diepoxide, may be advanced to high molecular weight resins which are used for example in electrical laminates, can coatings, automotive topcoats and clearcoats.

A known process for the manufacture of epichlorohydrin involves hypochlorination of allyl chloride to form dichlorohydrin. Ring closure of the dichlorohydrin mixture with caustic affords epichlorohydrin which is distilled to high purity (>99.6%). This chlorohydrin process requires two equivalents of chlorine and one equivalent of caustic per molecule of epichlorohydrin.

In another known process for producing epichlorohydrin the first step involves installing oxygen in the allylic position of propylene, via a palladium catalyzed reaction of molecular oxygen in acetic acid. The resulting allyl acetate is then hydrolyzed, chlorinated and the incipient dichlorohydrin is ring closed with caustic to epichlorohydrin. This process avoids the production of allyl chloride and therefore uses less chlorine (only one equivalent).

Both known processes for the manufacture of epichlorohydrin described above require the sacrificial use of chlorine, and complications associated with the industrial use and generation of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) can be magnified at industrial scale and these processes are known to produce substantial amounts of chlorinated by-products. In particular, it is well known that the hypochlorination of allyl chloride produces 1,2,3-trichloropropane and other undesirable chlorinated ethers and oligomers (RCls). RCl issues are managed as an increased cost to manufacture. As new capital is added to accommodate greater global production, a substantial investment in downstream processing must be added to accommodate and remediate these unwanted by-products. These same problems are analogous in the HOCl routes to propylene and ethylene chlorohydrin, and thus, these routes are less practiced.

An alternative process, which avoids the generation of HOCl, for example as described in WO 2002092586 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,288,248 involves the direct epoxidation of allyl chloride using titanium silicalite catalysis with hydrogen peroxide. Despite the advantage of reducing the generation of HOCl, allyl chloride is still an intermediate. The disadvantage of using allyl chloride is two-fold: (1) The free radical chlorination of propylene to allyl chloride is not very selective and a sizable fraction (>15 mole %) of 1,2-dichloropropane is produced. (2) Propylene is a hydrocarbon feedstock and long-term, global forecast of propylene price continues to escalate. A new, economically viable process for the production of epichlorohydrin which avoids the complications of controlled, chlorine-based oxidation chemistry and RCl generation is desirable. There is a need in the industry for a process for the generation of epichlorohydrin which involves a non-hydrocarbon, renewable feedstock.

Glycerin is considered to be a low-cost, renewable feedstock which is a co-product of the biodiesel process for making fuel additives. It is known that other renewable feedstocks such as fructose, glucose and sorbitol can be hydrogenolized to produce mixtures of vicinal diols and triols, such as glycerin, ethylene glycol, 1,2-propylene glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol and the like.

With abundant and low cost glycerin or mixed glycols, an economically attractive process for glycerin or mixed glycol hydrochlorination would be desirable. It would be advantageous if such a process were highly chemoselective to the formation of vicinal chlorohydrins, without production of RCls.

A process is known for the conversion of glycerol (also referred to herein as “glycerin”) to mixtures of dichloropropanols (also referred to herein as “dichlorohydrins”), compounds I and II, as shown in Scheme 1 below. The reaction is carried out in the presence of anhydrous HCl and an acetic acid (HOAc) catalyst with water removal. Both compounds I and II can then be converted to epichlorohydrin via treatment with caustic.

Various processes using the above chemistry in Scheme 1 have been reported in the prior art. For example, epichlorohydrin can be prepared by reacting a dichloropropanol such as 2,3-dichloropropan-1-ol or 1,3-dichloropropan-2-ol with base. Dichloropropanol, in turn, can be prepared at atmospheric pressure from glycerol, anhydrous hydrochloric acid, and an acid catalyst. A large excess of hydrogen chloride (HCl) gas is recommended to promote the azeotropic removal of water that is formed during the course of the reaction.

For example, Gibson, G. P., Chemistry and Industry 1931, 20, 949-975; and Conant et al., Organic Synthesis CV 1, 292-294, and Organic Synthesis CV 1, 295-297; have reported distilled yields of dichlorohydrins in excess of 70% for dichlorohydrins, compounds I and II in Scheme 1 above, by purging a large excess of anhydrous HCl (up to 7 equivalents) through a stirred solution of glycerol and an organic acid catalyst. The processes described in the above references require the use of atmospheric pressures of HCl which is used as an azeotroping agent to remove the accumulated water. Other azeotropes are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,144,612 describes using n-butyl ether along with excess hydrogen chloride (HCl) gas to promote the reactive distillation and removal of water.

Indeed, all of the prior art teaches the vaporization of azeotropes with water to provide high conversion and a process need for sub-atmospheric or atmospheric pressure conditions to accomplish water removal. U.S. Pat. No. 2,144,612 argues the advantageous use of an added azeotroping agent (for example, n-butyl ether) to promote the reactive azeotropic distillation and elimination of water, again using excess HCl at atmospheric conditions. A similar approach using vacuum removal of water is taught in German Patent No. 1075103.

German Patent No. 197308 teaches a process for preparing a chlorohydrin by the catalytic hydrochlorination of glycerine by means of anhydrous hydrogen chloride. This reference teaches a batch process with separation of water at atmospheric conditions. German Patent No. 197308 does not teach carrying out the hydrochlorination reation process at elevated pressures.

All known prior art for the production of chlorohydrin reports hydrochlorination processes where water is removed as a co-product from the process. In particular, WO 2005/021476 teaches a series of hydrochlorination reactions in which the water of reaction is removed in an atmospheric or sub-atmospheric process by reactive distillation. Similar art is taught in WO2005/054167 with the additional teaching that the reaction carried out under higher total pressures (HCl partial pressure not specified) may improve the rate of reaction. However, nothing in WO2005/054167 discloses the use of HCl partial pressure and its effect in its process. WO2005/054167 also exemplifies the need to remove water to effect high conversion and selectivity under atmospheric or subatmospheric pressures. Neither WO 2005/021476 nor WO2005/054167 teaches any advantage of leaving water in their processes, or that removing the water effects the formation of unwanted chloroethers and RCl's.

The use of extremely large excess amounts of hydrogen chloride (HCl) gas is economically problematic and the inherent contamination with water of the unreacted hydrogen chloride results in an aqueous hydrogen chloride stream that is not easily recyclable. Furthermore, reaction times of 24 to 48 hours are required to achieve a far from complete conversion of glycerin; however, the products often include significant amounts of the undesired overchlorinated trichloropropane and chlorinated ethers. Other processes are also known that use reagents that convert alcohols to chlorides but that scavenge water in situ. For example, thionyl chloride can be used to convert glycerin to a chlorohydrin, as described in Cane, Mauclere C. R. Hebd. Seances Acad. Sci. 1930, 192 and may be selective, but produces stoichiometric amounts of SO₂. The cost and expense of this reagent is not acceptable for the industrial production of epichlorohydrin or any other chlorohydrin derived from a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon. Likewise, other hydrochlorination reagents which are mild and effective are considered expensive and exotic for this transformation, as described in Gomez, et al. Tetrahedron Letters 2000, 41, 6049-6052. Other low temperature processes convert the alcohol to a better leaving group (for example, mesylate) and provide a soluble form of chloride via an ionic liquid used in molar excess, as described in Leadbeater, et al. Tetrahedron 2003, 59, 2253-58. Again, the need for anhydrous conditions, stoichiometric reagents and an expensive form of chloride prevents industrial consideration of the above process. Furthermore, these reagents can cause exhaustive chlorination of a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, leading again to undesirable RCl by-products, as taught in Viswanathan, et al. Current Science, 1978, 21, 802-803.

To summarize, there are at least five major disadvantages to all of the above known approaches for preparing a chlorohydrin from glycerin or any other vicinal-diol, triol or multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon: (1) Atmospheric pressure processes for the hydrochlorination of glycerin or any diol require a large excess of HCl, oftentimes 7-10 fold molar excess. In an atmospheric pressure process the excess anhydrous HCl is then contaminated with water. (2) Variants of the above known processes are very slow, batch type reactions, which often take between 24-48 hours at temperatures in excess of 100° C. and do not exceed 80-90% conversion to desired chlorohydrin product(s). (3) Exotic hydrochlorination reagents may drive the reaction by scavenging water, but oftentimes produce a by-product inconsistent with the economic production of a commodity. (4) All of the above approaches produce higher levels of unwanted RCls, as defined above for glycerin hydrochlorination. (5) When the reaction is run at elevated pressure to control evaporization of the reactor contents, low partial pressures of HCl result in low conversions or retarded reaction rates.

The prior art concludes that water removal is required to promote complete conversion of glycerin to dichlorohydrins. To accommodate this water removal requirement, the prior art reactions are conducted under azeotropic or reactive distillation or extraction conditions which requires a co-solvent or chaser and considerable capital addition to the process. All prior art has concluded that there is an equilibrium limitation to this conversion due to the presence of water in the reaction mixture.

It is desired in the industry to provide a hydrochlorination process for the production of high purity chlorohydrins from multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons which overcome all of the inadequacies of the prior art. It would, therefore, be an advance in the art of chlorohydrin chemistry to discover a simple and cost-effective method of transforming diols and triols to chlorohydrins.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a process for producing a chlorohydrin, an ester of a chlorohydrin, or a mixture thereof comprising the step of contacting a crude glycerol, an ester of a crude glycerol, or a mixture thereof with a source of a superatmospheric partial pressure of hydrogen chloride, in the presence of a catalyst to produce a chlorohydrin, an ester of a chlorohydrin, or a mixture thereof, said contacting step carried out without substantial removal of water; wherein said crude glycerol, said ester of crude glycerol, or mixture thereof is derived from a renewable raw material.

“Superatmospheric pressure” herein means that the hydrogen chloride (HCl) partial pressure is above atmospheric pressure, i.e. 15 psia or greater.

It is an objective of the present invention to minimize the formation of unwanted RCl's or chlorinated glycerol oligomers using the process of the present invention.

One embodiment of the present invention uses hydrogen chloride gas as the hydrogen chloride source to produce a chlorohydrin.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a process for preparing a chlorohydrin comprising the step of contacting together at a superatmospheric partial pressure of HCl, for example in the range of from about 20 psia to about 1000 psia; and at a sufficient temperature, for example in the range of from about 25° C. to about 300° C.: (a) a crude glycerol, for example a crude 1,2,3-triol; (b) a catalyst that facilitates the conversion of the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon to a chlorohydrin, for example a carboxylic acid, an ester, a lactone, an amide or a lactam; and mixtures thereof; and (c) a hydrogen chloride source, for example hydrogen chloride gas; wherein the process is carried out without substantially removing water during the contacting step; and wherein said crude glycerol is derived from a renewable raw material.

Still another embodiment of the present invention relates to a process for preparing a chlorohydrin comprising the step of contacting together at a superatmospheric partial pressure of HCl, for example in the range of from about 20 psia to about 1000 psia; and at a sufficient temperature, for example in the range of from about 25° C. to about 300° C.: (a) an ester of a crude glycerol, for example crude glycerin monoacetate; and (b) a hydrogen chloride source, for example hydrogen chloride; wherein the process is carried out without substantially removing water during the contacting step; and wherein said crude glycerol is derived from a renewable raw material.

Advantages of a superatmospheric pressure process of the present invention over an atmospheric process of the prior art include for example: (1) The present invention process is simplified in that water removal is not required and a co-solvent/chaser is not required. A “superatmospheric pressure process” herein means a process where reaction occurs under the conditions that the hydrogen chloride (HCl) partial pressure is above atmospheric pressure, i.e. 15 psia or greater. The present invention process may be run without additional additives, such as azeotroping agents. (2) The catalyst/HCl partial pressure/temperature range used in the process of the present invention without water removal accelerates the conversion rate of a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon to a chlorohydrin by almost 20-fold. The prior art militated away from using a superatmospheric HCl partial pressure, due to the need by the prior art processes for water removal. (3) Unexpectedly, water allowed to accumulate in a high pressure reaction mixture allows for higher rate of conversion with a higher selectivity process than the prior art, viz, less chlorinated ethers, less RCls are formed in the present invention process than in the prior art atmospheric HCl process. (4) The catalysts used in the present invention process exhibit improvements over other catalysts used in the prior art such as acetic acid, thereby driving selectivity higher and increasing the rate of the process. (5) The superatmospheric pressure process of the present invention uses far less HCl than the atmospheric pressure process of the prior art to achieve even more conversion (for example, 1-25% HCl excess for the present invention versus a 700-1400% excess for the prior art).

The superatmospheric pressure process allows the use of crude, wet glycerol as a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon starting material, yet still achieves higher selectivity and faster conversion than prior art without requiring additional water removal.

Another benefit of the present invention is a simplified process resulting from the use of low volatility, recycleable catalysts, and consequently improved process economics.

The superatmospheric pressure process of the present invention addresses a need in the art by providing a means for rapidly (for example, less than about 12 hours) converting a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon or an ester thereof to a chlorohydrin in high per-pass yield (for example greater than 90 mole %) and high selectivity (for example, greater than 90 mole %). Surprisingly, the method of the present invention can be carried out without azeotropic or in situ removal of water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a process flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the process of the present invention referred to herein as a once-through, no recycle process.

FIG. 2 is a process flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the process of the present invention referred to herein as a catalyst and intermediate recycle process.

FIG. 3 is a process flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the process of the present invention referred to herein as a catalyst and intermediate recycle process with transesterification.

FIG. 4 is a graphical illustration showing the results of the amount, in mole%, of conversion of glycerol to monochlorohydrins and dichlorohydrins as a function of time, carried out using an example that is not part of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In one broad aspect of the present invention, the present invention is a process of converting a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon or an ester thereof to a chlorohydrin or an ester thereof comprising the step of contacting the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon or ester thereof with a hydrogen chloride source at superatmospheric partial pressure and under reaction conditions to produce the chlorohydrin or ester thereof with the substantial absence of water removal. “Substantial absence of water removal” herein means that during the reaction process step or steps, no method is employed to remove the water present in the process (for example, either water of reaction or that introduced with the feed component(s)) during the hydrochlorination step. These methods may include any reactive, cryoscopic, extractive, azeotropic, absorptive or evaporative in-situ or ex-situ techniques or any known techniques for water removal.

As used herein, the term “multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon” refers to a hydrocarbon which contains at least two hydroxyl groups attached to separate saturated carbon atoms. The multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon may contain, but not to be limited thereby, from 2 to about 60 carbon atoms.

Any single carbon of a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon bearing the hydroxyl (OH) functional group must possess no more than one OH group, and must be sp3 hybridized. The carbon atom bearing the OH group may be primary, secondary or tertiary. The multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon used in the present invention must contain at least two sp3 hybridized carbons each bearing an OH group. The multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon includes any vicinal-diol (1,2-diol) or triol (1,2,3-triol) containing hydrocarbon including higher orders of contiguous or vicinal repeat units. The definition of multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon also includes for example one or more 1,3-1,4-, 1,5- and 1,6-diol functional groups as well. The multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon may also be a polymer such as polyvinylalcohol. Geminal-diols, for example, would be precluded from this class of multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds.

It is to be understood that the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon can contain aromatic moieties or heteroatoms including for example halide, sulfur, phosphorus, nitrogen, oxygen, silicon, and boron heteroatoms; and mixtures thereof.

“Chlorohydrin” is used herein to describe a compound containing at least one hydroxyl group and at least one chlorine atom attached to separate saturated carbon atoms. A chlorohydrin that contains at least two hydroxyl groups is also a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon. Accordingly, the starting material and product of the present invention can each be chlorohydrins; in that case, the product chlorohydrin is more highly chlorinated than the starting chlorohydrin, i.e., has more chlorine atoms and fewer hydroxyl groups than the starting chlorohydrin. Some preferred chlorohydrins are chlorohydrins used, for example, as a starting material. Other preferred chlorohydrins are, for example, chloroethanol, chloropropanol, chloropropanediol, dichloropropanol, and a combination of at least two or more these compounds. A more preferred highly chlorinated chlorohydrin such as a dichlorohydrin, may be, for example, a product of the process of the present invention. Other preferred chlorohydrins useful in the present invention include for example, 2-chloroethanol, 1-chloropropane-2-ol, 2-chloropropane-1-ol, 1-chloropropane-2,3-diol, 2-chloropropane-1,3-diol, 1,3-dichloropropane-2-ol, 2,3-dichloropropane-1-ol, and combinations of at least two or more of these compounds.

In the process according to the present invention, the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon used can be a crude multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon product or a purified multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon product. A “crude” multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon product is a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon which has not been submitted to any treatment after its manufacture. A “purified” multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon product is a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon which has been submitted to at least one treatment after its manufacture. When the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon is a crude product obtained from renewable raw materials, it can comprise, for example, water in addition to a metal salt. The metal salt is in particular a metal chloride, which is preferably chosen from NaCl and KCl. The metal salt can also be selected from metal sulphates such as sodium sulphate and potassium sulfate. The multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon used in the process according to the invention contains at least one solid or dissolved metal salt which is preferably selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium sulfate and potassium sulfate. The same considerations apply to the ester of a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, or the mixture of the ester of a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon and the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon.

In the process according to the present invention, the crude multihydroxylated aliphatic hydrocarbon product can also contain organic impurities such as carbonyl compounds, for example aldehydes, fatty acids, salts of fatty acids or esters of fatty acids, such as in particular mono- or polyesters of the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon with fatty acid, optionally in combination with water. When the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon is glycerol, fatty acids are saturated and unsaturated fatty acids containing more than 12 carbon atoms like for instance oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids. Those acids are for instance produced during the conversion of colza oil by saponification, trans-esterification and hydrolysis reactions. The organic impurities typically may include fatty acids and their derivatives.

In one embodiment of the process according to the present invention, the crude multihydroxylated aliphatic hydrocarbon product may generally comprise at least 40% by weight of the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon. Often, the crude product comprises at least 50% by weight of the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon. Preferably, it comprises at least 70% by weight of the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon. Often, the crude product comprises at most 99% by weight of the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon. Typically, it comprises at most 95% by weight of the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the crude multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon product comprises at most 89% by weight of the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon. In that embodiment, the crude multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon product comprises at most 85% by weight of the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon. In that embodiment, the crude multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon product comprises generally at least 10% by weight of water and often at least 14% by weight of water.

The term “epoxide” is used to describe a compound containing at least one oxygen bridge on a carbon-carbon bond. Generally, the carbon atoms of the carbon-carbon bond are contiguous and the compound can include other atoms than carbon and oxygen atoms, like hydrogen and halogens, fix example. Preferred epoxides are ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, glycidol and epichlorohydrin.

Consequently, the present invention also relates in particular to a process for producing a chlorinated organic compound, according to which a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, or a mixture thereof, obtained from renewable raw materials is used, and the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, the ester of a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, or the mixture thereof, used contains at least one solid or dissolved metal salt and the process comprises a separation operation to remove at least part of the metal salt. It is understood that the methods of production described hereinafter can also be carried out with multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons, esters of a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, or mixtures of esters of a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon and multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons in general and are not limited to the preferred use of a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, esters of a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, or mixtures thereof obtained from renewable raw materials.

Multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons useful in the present invention include for example 1,2-ethanediol; 1,2-propanediol; 1,3-propanediol; 1-chloro-2,3-propanediol; 2-chloro-1,3-propanediol; 1,4-butanediol; 1,5-pentanediol; cyclohexanediols; 1,2-butanediol; 1,2-cyclohexanedimethanol; 1,2,3-propanetriol (also known as, and used herein interchangeable as, “glycerin”, “glycerine”, or “glycerol”); and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons used in the present invention include for example 1,2-ethanediol; 1,2-propanediol; 1,3-propanediol; 1-chloro-2,3-propanediol; 2-chloro-1,3-propanediol; and 1,2,3-propanetriol; with 1,2,3-propanetriol being most preferred.

The esters of a multihydroxylated aliphatic hydrocarbon can be present in the multihydroxylated aliphatic hydrocarbon and/or produced during the chlorohydrin production method and/or produced in advance of the chlorohydrin production method. Examples of esters of multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons useful in the present invention include for example ethylene glycol monoacetate, propanediol monoacetates, glycerin monoacetates, glycerin monostearates, glycerin diacetates, and mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, such esters can be made from mixtures of multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons with exhaustively esterified multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons, for example mixtures of glycerol triacetate and glycerol.

The multihydroxylated aliphatic hydrocarbon, the ester of a multihydroxylated aliphatic hydrocarbon, or the mixture thereof, according to the present invention may be a crude multihydroxylated aliphatic hydrocarbon, the ester of a crude multihydroxylated aliphatic hydrocarbon, or the mixture thereof; and may be obtained from renewable raw materials or biomass.

“Renewable raw materials,” herein means materials designated as originating from the treatment of renewable natural resources. Among such materials, “natural” ethylene glycol, “natural” propylene glycol, and “natural” glycerol are preferred. Ethylene glycol, propylene glycol and “natural” glycerol are, for example, obtained via the conversion of sugars via known and unknown methods. As described in “Organic Chemistry, 3rd Ed. (Morrison & Boyd, Allyn & Bacon Publishers, 1973, pages 1070-1128)”, incorporated herein by reference, these sugars may come from, for example, sucrose sourced from crops such as cane or beets, amylose, glucose or maltose sourced from starch, or cellobiose sourced from cellulose. These sugars can also be obtained from biomass, as described in “Industrial Bioproducts; Today and Tomorrow, Energetics, Incorporated for the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Office of the Biomass Program, July 2003, pages 49, 52 to 56”, incorporated herein by reference.

One of the methods described in the above reference includes, for example, the catalytic sorbitol hydrogenolysis obtained via the thermochemical conversion of glucose. Another method is, for example, the catalytic xylitol hydrogenolysis obtained via the hydrogenation of xylose. Xylose can for example be obtained via hydrolysis of the hemicellulose contained in corn fibers. By “natural glycerol”, or “glycerol obtained from renewable raw materials”, it is meant herein to designate in particular glycerol obtained during biodiesel production or glycerol obtained during the transformation of vegetable or animal fats and oils, and in general, during the reactions of saponification, trans-esterification, or hydrolysis.

Among oils suitable for natural glycerol production, includes all common oils, such as palm oil, palm kernel oil, copra oil, babassu oil, rape oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, castor oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, soy oil, flaxseed oil, crambe oil, and all oils originating from, for example, any sunflower or rape plants obtained via genetic modification or hybridization; and combinations thereof.

In addition, frying oils may be used in the present invention, as well as various animal oils, such as fish oils, tallow oil, lard oil, and oils obtained via quartering; and combinations thereof.

Among the oils useful in the present invention, includes for example partially modified oils via, for example, polymerization or oligomerization as is the case in “stand oils” of flaxseed oils, sunflower oils and blown vegetable oils; and mixtures thereof.

One particularly suitable glycerol useful in the present invention may be obtained during the transformation of animal fats. Another particularly suitable glycerol which may be used in the present invention, can be obtained during the production of oleochemicals or biodiesel. Still another suitable glycerol for use in the present invention can be obtained during the transformation of fats or oils—animal or vegetable—via trans-esterification in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst, as described in FR 2752242, FR 2869612, and FR 2869613, each incorporated herein by reference. In such process it is advantageous to use a heterogeneous catalyst comprising mixed aluminum and zinc oxides, mixed zinc and titan oxides, mixed zinc, titan and aluminum oxides, and the mixed bismuth and aluminum oxides; and mixtures thereof. The heterogeneous catalyst may be operated in a fixed bed. This latter method, for example, can be a biodiesel production method.

Glycerol sourced from production of oleochemicals or biodiesel may be advantageously used in the present invention because of its lower cost when taken as crude glycerol, or when taken as un-neutralized crude glycerol. As described in “Process Economics Program Report 251, Biodiesel Production (October 2004), (R. G. Bray, SRI Consulting, pp. 7-10 to 7-14)”, incorporated herein by reference, the alkaline catalyzed transesterification of oils or fats with alcohols to alkyl esters and glycerol results in a two phase mixture of alkaline-containing glycerol and alkyl esters. The crude mixtures of multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons of the present invention may be used in any desirable non-limiting concentration. In general, higher concentrations are preferred for economic reasons. Useful concentrations for the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons of the present invention may include, for example from about 0.01 mole % to about 99.99 mole %, preferably from about 1 mole % to about 99.5 mole %, more preferably from about 5 mole % to about 99 mole %, and most preferably from about 10 mole % to about 95 mole %.

Likewise, the un-neutralized crude glycerin of the present invention may be used in any desirable non-limiting concentration. In general, higher concentrations are preferred for economic reasons. Useful concentrations for the un-neutralized crude glycerin of the present invention may include, for example, from about 0.01 mole % to about 99.99 mole %, preferably from about 1 mole % to about 99.5 mole %, more preferably from about 5 mole % to about 99 mole %, and most preferably from about 10 mole % to about 95 mole %. The composition of this un-neutralized crude glycerin may also include, for example, up to 10 mole % alkali metal, up to 30 mole % alkyl esters, up to 20% fatty acids or alkali salts of fatty acids, up to 50 mole % methanol, up to 50 mole % water.

The hydrogen chloride source used in the present invention is preferably introduced as a gas, a liquid or in a solution or a mixture, or a mixture thereof, such as for example a mixture of hydrogen chloride and nitrogen gas, so long as the required partial pressures of the hydrogen chloride are provided for the process of the present invention.

The most preferred hydrogen chloride source is hydrogen chloride gas. Other forms of chloride may be employed in the present invention provided that the required partial pressure of hydrogen chloride is generated. Chloride in particular may be introduced with any number of cations including those associated with phase transfer reagents such as quaternary ammonium and phosphonium salts (for example tetra-butylphosphonium chloride). Alternatively, ionic liquids such n-butyl-2-methylimidazolium chloride may be used as a synergist to promote the acid catalyzed displacement of OH from the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon.

It is also known that these other halide sources may act as co-catalysts for the hydrochlorination of alcohols. In this respect catalytic amounts of iodide or bromide may be used to accelerate these reactions. These reagents may be introduced as gases, liquids or as counterion salts using a phase transfer or ionic liquid format. The reagents may also be introduced as metal salts wherein the alkali or transition metal counterion does not promote oxidation of the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon. Care must be employed in using these co-catalysts in controlled hydrochlorination processes because the potential for RCl formation may increase. Mixtures of different sources of halide may be employed, for example hydrogen chloride gas and an ionic chloride, such as tetraalkylammonium chloride or a metal halide. For example, the metal halide may be sodium chloride, potassium iodide, potassium bromide and the like.

In an embodiment of the present invention where the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon is the starting material, as opposed to an ester of the multi-hydroxylated aliphatic hydrocarbon as a starting material, it is preferred that the formation of chlorohydrin be promoted by the presence of a catalyst. In another embodiment of the present invention, where the ester of the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon is used as the starting material, preferably a partial ester, the catalyst exists inherently in the ester, and therefore the use of a separate catalyst component is optional. However, an additional catalyst may still be included in the present process to further promote conversion to the desired products. Additional catalyst may also be used in the case where the starting material includes a combination of esterified and nonesterifed multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons.

When a catalyst is used in the superatmospheric pressure process of the present invention, the catalyst may be for example a carboxylic acid; an anhydride; an acid chloride; an ester; a lactone; a lactam; an amide; a metal organic compound such as sodium acetate; or a combination thereof. Any compound that is convertable to a carboxylic acid or a functionalized carboxylic acid under the reaction conditions of the present invention may also be used.

A preferred carboxylic acid for the superatmospheric pressure process is an acid with a functional group consisting of a halogen, an amine, an alcohol, an alkylated amine, a sulfhydryl, an aryl group or an alkyl group, or combinations thereof, wherein this moiety is not sterically hindering the carboxylic acid group. A preferred acid for this present process is acetic acid.

Examples of carboxylic acids usefulness as a catalyst in the present invention include, acetic acid, propionic acid, 4-methylvaleric acid, adipic acid, 4-droxyphenylacetic acid, 6-chlorohexanoic acid, 4-aminobutyric acid, hexanoic acid, heptanoic acid, 4-dimethylaminobutyric acid, 6-aminohexanoic acid, 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid, 4-aminophenylacetic acid, 4-trimethylammonium butyric acid chloride, polyacrylic acid, polyethylene grafted with acrylic acid, a divinylbenzene/methacrylic acid copolymer, and mixtures thereof. Examples of anhydrides include acetic anhydride, maleic anhydride, and mixtures thereof. Examples of acid chlorides include acetyl chloride, 6-chlorohexanoyl chloride, 6-hydroxyhexanoyl chloride and mixtures thereof. Examples of esters include methyl acetate, methyl propionate, methyl pivalate, methyl butyrate, ethylene glycol monoacetate, ethylene glycol diacetate, propanediol monoacetates, propanediol diacetates, glycerin monoacetates, glycerin diacetates, glycerin triacetate, a glycerin ester of a carboxylic acid (including glycerin mono-, di-, and tri-esters), and combinations thereof. Examples of most preferred lactones include ε-caprolactone, γ-butyrolactone, δ-valerolactone and mixtures thereof. An example of a lactam is ε-caprolactam. Zinc acetate is an example of a metal organic compound.

A preferred catalyst used in the present invention is a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, or a combination thereof, particularly an ester or acid having a boiling point higher than that of the desired highest boiling chlorohydrin that is formed in the reaction mixture so that the chlorohydrin can be removed without removing the catalyst. Catalysts which meet this definition and are useful in the present invention include for example, polyacrylic acid, glycerin esters of carboxylic acids (including glycerin mono-, di-, and tri-esters), polyethylene grafted with acrylic acid, 6-chlorohexanoic acid, 4-chlorobutanoic acid, caprolactone, heptanoic acid, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, 4-aminophenylacetic acid, 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid, 4-aminobutyric acid, 4-trimethylammoniumbutyric acid chloride, stearic acid, 5-chlorovaleric acid, 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid, 4-aminophenylacetic acid, and mixtures thereof.

Carboxylic acids, RCOOH, catalyze the hydrochlorination of multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons to chlorohydrins. The specific carboxylic acid catalyst chosen for the process of the present invention may be based upon a number of factors including for example, its efficacy as a catalyst, its cost, its stability to reaction conditions, and its physical properties. The particular process, and process scheme in which the catalyst is to be employed may also be a factor in selecting the particular catalyst for the present process. The “R” groups of the carboxylic acid may be chosen from hydrogen or hydrocarbyl groups, including alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, and alkaryl. The hydrocarbyl groups may be linear, branched or cyclic, and may be substituted or un-substituted. Permissible substituents include any functional group that does not detrimentally interfere with the performance of the catalyst, and may include heteroatoms. Non-limiting examples of permissible functional groups include chloride, bromide, iodide, hydroxyl, phenol, ether, amide, primary amine, secondary amine, tertiary amine, quaternary ammonium, sulfonate, sulfonic acid, phosphonate, and phosphonic acid.

The carboxylic acids useful in the present invention may be monobasic such as acetic acid, formic acid, propionic acid, isobutyric acid, hexanoic acid, heptanoic acid, oleic acid, or stearic acid; or polybasic such as succinic acid, adipic acid, or terephthalic acid. Examples of aralkyl carboxylic acids include phenylacetic acid and 4-aminophenylacetic acid. Examples of substituted carboxylic acids include 4-aminobutyric acid, 4-dimethylaminobutyric acid, 6-aminocaproic acid, 4-aminophenylacetic acid, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, 4-dimethylaminobutyric acid, and 4-trimethylammoniumbutyric acid. Additionally, materials that can be converted into carboxylic acids under reaction conditions, including for example carboxylic acid halides, such as acetyl chloride; carboxylic acid anhydrides such as acetic anhydride; carboxylic acid esters such as methyl acetate; multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon acetates such as glycerol 1,2-diacetate; carboxylic acid amides such as ε-caprolactam and γ-butyrolactam; and carboxylic acid lactones such as γ-butyrolactone, δ-valerolactone and ε-caprolactone may also be employed in the present invention. Mixtures of carboxylic acids may also be used in the present invention.

Some carboxylic acid catalysts that may be used in the present invention are less effective than others in the hydrochlorination process of the present invention, such as those bearing sterically demanding substituents close to the carboxylic acid group, for example 2,2-dimethylbutyric acid, sterically hindered 2-substituted benzoic acids such as 2-aminobenzoic acid and 2-methylaminobenzoic acid. For this reason, carboxylic acids that are sterically unencumbered around the carboxylic acid group are more preferred.

In the process of the present invention utilizing superatmospheric partial pressure of HCl conditions, preferred acid catalysts used in the present invention include for example acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, isobutyric acid, hexanoic acid, heptanoic acid, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, 4-aminophenylacetic acid, 4-aminobutyric acid, 4-dimethylaminobutyric acid, 4-trimethylammonium butyric acid chloride, succinic acid, 6-chlorohexanoic acid, 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid, and mixtures thereof.

In another embodiment of the present invention, some of the catalysts of the present invention that work in the superatmospheric pressure process described above may also work surprisingly well at atmospheric and subatmospheric pressure conditions with or without water removal. Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention is directed to a process for producing a chlorohydrin, an ester of a chlorohydrin, or a mixture thereof comprising the step of contacting a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, an ester of a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, or a mixture thereof with a source of a superatmospheric atmospheric or subatmospheric partial pressure of hydrogen chloride to produce a chlorohydrin, an ester of a chlorohydrin, or a mixture thereof, in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the catalyst (i) is a carboxylate derivative having from two to about 20 carbon atoms and containing at least one functional group selected from the group comprising an amine, an alcohol, a halogen, an sulfhydryl, an ether, an ester, or a combination thereof, wherein the functional group is attached no closer to the acid function than the alpha carbon; or a precursor thereto; (ii) is less volatile than the chlorohydrin, ester of a chlorohydrin, or a mixture thereof; and (iii) contains heteroatom substituents.

One embodiment of the catalyst structure of the present invention is generally represented by Formula (a) shown below wherein the functional group “R” includes a functional group comprising an amine, an alcohol, a halogen, a sulfhydryl, an ether; or an alkyl, an aryl or alkaryl group of from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms containing said functional group; or a combination thereof; and wherein the functional group “R” may include a hydrogen, an alkali, an alkali earth or a transition metal or a hydrocarbon functional group.

In accordance with the above embodiment of the present invention, the certain catalysts may also be advantageously employed at superatmospheric, atmospheric or sub-atmospheric pressure, and particularly in circumstances where water is continuously or periodically removed from the reaction mixture to drive conversion to desirably higher levels. For example, the hydrochlorination of glycerol reaction can be practiced by sparging hydrogen chloride gas through a mixture of a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon and a catalyst. In such a process, a volatile catalyst, such as acetic acid, may be at least partially removed from the reaction solution by the hydrogen chloride gas being sparged through the solution and may be lost from the reaction medium. The conversion of the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon to desired chlorohydrins may consequently be slowed because the catalyst concentration is reduced. In such a process, the use of less volatile catalysts, such as 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid, 4-aminobutyric acid; dimethyl 4-aminobutyric acid; 6-chlorohexanoic acid; caprolactone; carboxylic acid amides such as ε-caprolactam and γ-butyrolactam; carboxylic acid lactones such as γ-butyrolactone, δ-valerolactone and ε-caprolactone; caprolactam; 4-hydroxyphenyl acetic acid; 6-aminocaproic acid; 4-aminophenylacetic acid; lactic acid; glycolic acid; 4-dimethylaminobutyric acid; 4-trimethylammoniumbutyric acid; and combination thereof; and the like may be preferred. It is most desirable to employ a catalyst, under these atmospheric or subatmospheric conditions, that is less volatile than the desired chlorohydrin being produced. Furthermore, it is desirable that the catalyst be fully miscible, with the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon employed. If the catalyst is not fully miscible, it may form a second phase and the full catalytic effect may not be realized. For this reason, it may be desirable that the catalyst contain polar heteroatom substituents such as hydroxyl, amino or substituted amino, or halide groups, which render the catalyst miscible with the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, for example, glycerol.

The choice of a catalyst, for example a carboxylic acid catalyst, for use in the process of the present invention may also be governed by the specific process scheme employed for multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon hydrochlorination. For example, in a once-through process where a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon is reacted to as high a conversion as possible to the desired chlorohydrin, which then is further converted to other products without separation from the catalyst, the carboxylic acid catalyst is subsequently not utilized further. In such a process scheme, it is desirable that the carboxylic acid be inexpensive, in addition to being effective. A preferred carboxylic acid catalyst in such a situation would be for example acetic acid.

In a recycle process, for example, wherein the produced chlorohydrins are separated from the carboxylic acid catalyst before further processing or use, the carboxylic acid catalyst is additionally chosen based on the ease of separation of the catalyst, and its esters with the reaction products, from the desired chlorohydrin products. In such a case, it may be preferable to employ a heavy (i.e. lower volatility) acid so that it can be readily recycled to the reactor with unreacted glycerol or intermediate monochlorohydrins for further reaction. Suitable heavy acids useful in the present invention include for example 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, heptanoic acid, 4-aminobutyric acid, caprolactone, 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid, 6-chlorohexanoic acid, 4-dimethylaminobutyric acid, 4-trimethylammoniumbutyric acid chloride, and mixtures thereof.

It is also preferred that the acid, or its esters with the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon being hydrochlorinated, or its esters with the reaction intermediates or reaction products be miscible in the reaction solution. For this reason it may be desirable to select the carboxylic acid catalyst taking these solubility constraints into consideration. Thus, for example, if the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon being hydrochlorinated is very polar, such as glycerol, some carboxylic acid catalysts would exhibit less than complete solubility, and would form two phases upon mixing. In such a case, a more miscible acid catalyst, such as acetic acid or 4-aminobutyric acid may be desirable.

The catalysts useful in the present invention are effective over a broad range of concentrations, for example from about 0.01 mole % to about 99.9 mol % based upon the moles of multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, preferably from about 0.1 mole % to about 67 mole %, more preferably from about 0.5 mole % to about 50 mole % and most preferably from about 1 mole % to about 40 mole %. The specific concentration of catalyst employed in the present invention may depend upon the specific catalyst employed in the present invention and the process scheme in which such catalyst is employed.

For example, in a once-through process where the catalyst is used only once and then discarded, it is preferred to employ a low concentration of a highly active catalyst.

In addition, it may be desirable to employ an inexpensive catalyst. In such a process, concentrations of for example, from about 0.01 mole % to about 10 mole % based on the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon may be used, preferably from about 0.1 mole % to about 6 mole %, more preferably from about 1 mole % to about 5 mole %.

In process schemes, for example, where the catalyst is recycled and used repeatedly, it may be desirable to employ higher concentrations than with a catalyst that is discarded. Such recycled catalysts may be used from about 1 mole % to about 99.9 mole % based on the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, preferably from about 5 mole % to about 70 mole %, more preferably from about 5 mole % to about 50 mole %, although these concentrations are to be considered non-limiting. Higher catalysts concentrations may be desirably employed to reduce the reaction time, minimize the size of process equipment and reduce the formation of undesirable, uncatalyzed side products.

Generally, it is preferred that the process of the present invention is carried out under superatmospheric pressure conditions. “Superatmospheric pressure” herein means that the hydrogen chloride (HCl) partial pressure is above atmospheric pressure, i.e. 15 psia or greater. Generally, the hydrogen chloride partial pressure employed in the process of the present invention is at least about 15 psia HCl or greater. Preferably, the pressure of the present process is not less than about 25 psia, more preferably not less than about 35 psia HCl, and most preferably not less than about 55 psia; and preferably not greater than about 1000 psia HCl, more preferably not greater than about 600 psia, and most preferably not greater than about 150 psia.

The HCl used in the present invention is most preferably anhydrous. The HCl composition can range from 100 volume % hydrogen chloride to about 50 volume % hydrogen chloride. Preferably, the HCl feed composition is greater than about 50 volume % HCl, more preferably greater than about 90 volume % HCl, and most preferably greater than about 99 volume % HCl.

The temperatures useful in the practice of the process of the present invention are sufficient to give economical reaction rates, but not so high that starting material, product or catalyst stability become compromised. Furthermore, high temperatures increase the rate of undesirable uncatalyzed reactions, such as non-selective over-chlorination, and can result in increased rates of equipment corrosion. Useful temperatures in the present invention generally may be from about 25° C. to about 300° C., preferably from about 25° C. to about 200° C., more preferably from about 30° C. to about 160° C., even more preferably from about 40° C. to about 150° C., and most preferably from about 50° C. to about 140° C.

The reaction of the superatmospheric pressure process of the present invention is advantageously rapid and may be carried out for a time period of less than about 12 hours, preferably less than about 5 hours, more preferably less than about 3 hours and most preferably less than about 2 hours. At longer reaction times, such as above about 12 hours, the process begins to form RCls and other over-chlorinated by-products.

Surprisingly, it has been discovered that high per-pass yields and high selectivity can be achieved using the superatmospheric pressure process of the present invention. For example, a per-pass yield for the chlorohydrin based on the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon of greater than about 80%, preferably greater than about 85%, more preferably greater than about 90%, and most preferably greater than about 93% can be achieved by the present invention. For example, a high selectivity of greater than about 80%, preferably greater than about 85%, more preferably greater than about 90%, and most preferably greater than about 93% of chlorohydrins can be achieved by the process of the present invention. Of course, yields can be increased by recycling reaction intermediates.

For example, when the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon used in the present invention is glycerol, recycling intermediate monochlorohydrins can increase the ultimate yield of dichlorohydrins achieved. Moreover, unlike many of the processes of the prior art, water removal is not an essential feature of the process of the present invention in carrying out the reaction which forms the chlorohydrins. In fact, the reaction of the present invention is preferentially carried out in the absence of water removal such as azeotropic removal of water.

In the superatmospheric pressure process of the present invention, it is also not necessary to use starting materials that are free of contaminants such as water, salts or organic impurities other than multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons. Accordingly, the starting materials may contain, generally, no more than about 50 weight percent of such contaminants. For example, a crude 1,2,3-propanetriol (crude glycerol, neutralized or unneutralized) that may contain certain impurities may be used in the process of the present invention. For example the crude glycerol useful in the present invention may contain up to 25% by weight water, up to 20% by weight inorganic salts, and up to about 25% weight percent organic compounds other than glycerin. In another embodiment, a crude glycerol (neutralized or unneutralized) that may contain water (from about 0.05% to about 25% weight percent), alkali (for example, sodium or potassium) or alkaline earth (for example, calcium or magnesium) metal salts (from about 0.01% to about 20% by weight), alkali carboxylate salts (from about 0.01% to about 5% by weight), and/or organic compounds other than glycerin (from about 0.01% to about 25% weight percent) can also be used in the present invention effectively to produce the desired product. In still another embodiment, the crude glycerol (neutralized or unneutralized) preferably contains less than about 25 weight % water, less than about 25 weight % alkali or alkaline earth metal salts and less than about 25% organic compounds other than glycerin, where the total impurities comprise less than about 50% of the total. More preferably, the crude glycerol (neutralized or unneutralized) contains less than about 15 weight % water, less than about 5 weight % alkali or alkaline earth metal salts and less than about 5% organic compounds other than glycerin. And even more preferably, the crude glycerol (neutralized or unneutralized) contains less than about 10 weight % water, less than about 0.1 weight % alkali or alkaline earth metal salts, and less than about 0.1% organic compounds other than glycerin. Most preferably, the crude glycerol (neutralized or unneutralized) may be partially refined to contains less than about 10 weight % water, less than about 0.1 weight % alkali or alkaline earth metal salts, and less than about 0.1% organic compounds other than glycerin. Consequently, the process of the present invention is a particularly economical approach.

In one embodiment of the process of the present invention, 1,2,3-propanetriol (glycerol) is placed in a closed vessel, and heated and pressurized under an atmosphere of HCl gas in the presence of the aforementioned catalytic amount of a carboxylic acid or ester thereof. Under the preferred conditions of the process, the major product is 1,3-dichloropropan-2-ol (for example, >90% yield), with minor amounts (for example, <10% total yield) of the following products: 1-chloro-2,3-propanediol, 2-chloro-1,3-propanediol and 2,3-dichloropropan-1-ol; and no detectable amounts (less than 200 ppm) of 1,2,3-trichloropropane. Advantageously, both the major and minor dichlorinated products (1,3-dichloro-propan-2-ol and 2,3-dichloropropan-1-ol) are precursors to epichlorohydrin. The dichlorinated products can readily be converted to epichlorohydrin by reaction with base, as is well-known in the art.

The present invention may include various process schemes, including for example batch, semi-batch, or continuous. In one embodiment, for example, the present invention includes the hydrochlorination of a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon by reaction with hydrogen chloride. The multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon may be employed neat or diluted in an appropriate solvent. Such solvents may include for example water and alcohols. It may be preferred to purify the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon before it is employed in the hydrochlorination reaction by removing contaminants, including water, organic materials or inorganic materials before use. This purification may include well known purification techniques such as distillation, extraction, absorption, centrifugation, or other appropriate methods. The multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon is generally fed to the process as a liquid although this is not absolutely necessary.

The hydrogen chloride employed in the process is preferably gaseous. The hydrogen chloride may, however, be diluted in a solvent such as an alcohol (for example methanol); or in a carrier gas such as nitrogen, if desired. Optionally, the hydrogen chloride may be purified before use to remove any undesirable contaminants. It is preferred that the hydrogen chloride be substantially anhydrous although some amounts (for example less than about 50 mole %, preferably less than about 20 mole %, more preferably less than about 10 mole %, even more preferably less than about 5 mole %, most preferably less than about 3 mole %) of water present in the hydrogen chloride are not excessively detrimental. The hydrogen chloride is fed to the process equipment in any suitable manner. It is preferred that the process equipment is designed to ensure good dispersal of the hydrogen chloride throughout the hydrochlorination reactor that is employed in the present process. Therefore, single or multiple spargers, baffles and efficient stirring mechanisms are desirable.

The catalyst employed may be fed to the process equipment independently, or as a mixture with, or component of, the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon or hydrogen chloride feeds.

The equipment useful for the hydrochlorination reaction of the present invention may be any well-known equipment in the art and should be capable of containing the reaction mixture at the conditions of the hydrochlorination. Suitable equipment may be fabricated of materials which are resistant to corrosion by the process components, and may include for example, metals, such as tantalum, suitable metallic alloys such as Hastalloy C©, or glass-lined equipment. Suitable equipment may include, for example, single or multiple stirred tanks, tubes or pipes, or combinations thereof.

In an exemplifying batch process, the multihydroxylated aliphatic hydrocarbon and hydrochlorination catalyst are charged to a reactor. Hydrogen chloride is then added to the desired pressure and the reactor contents heated to the desired temperature for the desired length of time. The reactor contents are then discharged from the reactor and either purified or sent to other equipment for further processing, or to storage.

In an illustrative semi-batch process, one or more of the reagents is fed to a reactor over a period of time throughout the reaction while other reagents are fed only at the start of the reaction. In such a process, for example, the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon and catalyst may be fed in a single batch to a hydrochlorination reactor, which is then held at reaction conditions for a suitable time, while hydrogen chloride is fed continuously throughout the reaction at the desired rate, which may be at constant flow, or constant pressure. After the reaction, the hydrogen chloride feed can be terminated and the reactor contents may be discharged for storage, purification or further processing.

In the large-scale production of chemicals it is often desirable to employ a continuous process since the economic advantage of doing so is usually greater than for batch processing. The continuous process may be, for example, a single-pass or a recycle process. In a single-pass process, one or more of the reagents pass through the process equipment once, and then the resulting effluent from the reactor is sent for purification or further processing. In such a scheme, the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon and catalyst may be fed to the equipment and hydrogen chloride added as desired at a single point or at multiple points throughout the process equipment, which may include continuous stirred tank reactors, tubes, pipes or combinations thereof.

Alternatively, the catalyst employed may be a solid which is retained within the process equipment by means of a filter or equivalent device. The reagents and catalysts are fed at such a rate that the residence time in the process equipment is appropriate to achieve a desired conversion of the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon to products. The material exiting the process equipment is sent to storage, for purification or further processing, as desired. In such a process, it is generally desirable to convert as much multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon to desired product as possible.

In a continuous recycle process, one or more of the unreacted multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, reaction intermediates, hydrogen chloride, or catalyst exiting from the process equipment are recycled back to a point earlier in the process. In this manner, raw material efficiencies are maximized or catalysts reused. Since catalysts are reused in such a process scheme, it may be desirable to employ the catalysts in a higher concentration than they are employed in a single-pass process where they are often discarded. This may result in faster reactions, or smaller process equipment, which results in lower capital costs for the equipment employed. In a continuous recycle process, undesirable impurities may build up in the process. Thus, it is desirable to provide a means for removing such impurities from the process.

Removal of the desired product from the catalysts or other process components can be achieved in a variety of ways. It may be possible to achieve the separation, for example, by vaporization in a continuous fashion, either directly from the hydrochlorination reactor, or a separate piece of equipment such as a vaporizer or a distillation column In such a case, a catalyst that is less volatile than the desired product would be employed, so that the catalyst is retained within the process equipment. Alternatively, a solid catalyst may be employed, and the separation may be achieved, for example, by filtration, centrifugation or vaporization. Liquid extraction, absorption or chemical reaction may also be employed in some cases to recycle catalysts or reaction intermediates.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon is hydrochlorinated using a hydrochlorination catalyst chosen to be less volatile than the desired hydrochlorination products. After the hydrochlorination reaction, additional multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon is added to the reaction products, excess starting materials, reaction intermediates and catalyst. It is thought that this liberates some of the desired hydrochlorination product which may have existed as an ester of the catalyst, so that the desired product can be more completely recovered from the reaction solution by vaporization. After recovery of the desired hydrochlorination product, the remainder of the process stream can be recycled to the hydrochlorination stream. This process scheme also may have the advantage of minimizing the amount of hydrogen chloride lost since much of that remaining in the process stream after addition of multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon would be consumed by reaction with the newly added multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon.

The particular process scheme employed may depend upon many factors including, for example, the identity, cost and purity of the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon being hydrochlorinated, the specific process conditions employed, the separations required to purify the product, and other factors. The examples of processes described herein are not to be considered as limiting the present invention.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show three non-limiting embodiments of the hydrochlorinated process of the present invention. The examples illustrating the present invention process shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are only preferred embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1, for example, shows a process of the present invention generally indicated by numeral 10, wherein a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon such as a glycerol feed stream, 11, is introduced into a reaction vessel, 15. The reaction vessel 15, may be of any well-known suitable type, including for example, one or more continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) or tubular reactors; or combinations thereof.

Also introduced to vessel 15, are a hydrogen chloride feed stream, 12, and a carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid precursor catalyst feed stream, 13. Streams 12 and 13 may be introduced into vessel 15 either separately or together. In addition, optionally, all of the streams 11, 12, and 13 may be combined together into one feed stream. Any of the streams 11, 12, or 13, may be introduced at a single point or at multiple points of vessel 15. In vessel 15, glycerol is partially or fully converted to its esters with the carboxylic acid catalyst, monochlorohydrins and dichlorohydrins and their esters. Stream 14, containing, for example dichlorohydrins, monochlorohydrins, unreacted glycerol, and their esters, water, unreacted hydrogen chloride and catalyst exits vessel 15, and may be sent to storage, to further processing such as purification, or to other equipment for further reaction.

For example, in one embodiment, stream 14, may be reacted with a base to form epichlorohydrin. The carboxylic acid catalyst in such a process may be chosen based on its efficacy at low concentration and its low cost. For example, the carboxylic acid may be acetic acid or propionic acid.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the process of the present invention generally indicated by numeral 20, in which a feed stream 21 containing a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon such as a glycerol is fed to vessel 26, which may be one or more CSTRs or tubular reactors, or combinations thereof. Also fed to vessel 26 is feed stream 22, containing hydrogen chloride. Also fed to vessel 26 is a recycle stream 25, recycled from vessel 27, containing, for example, unreacted glycerol, monochlorohydrins and their esters with the catalyst, which is also recycled in this stream 25.

In vessel 26, glycerol is converted to monochlorohydrins and their esters; and monochlorohydrins are converted to dichlorohydrins and their esters. Stream 23, containing, for example, dichlorohydrins, monochlorohydrins, unreacted glycerol and their esters with the carboxylic acid catalyst, water, unreacted hydrogen chloride and catalyst exits vessel 26, and is fed to vessel 27. In vessel 27, at least some of the desired dichlorohydrins, water, and unreacted hydrogen chloride, as stream 24, are separated from monochlorohydrins and their esters, unreacted glycerol and its esters and catalyst, as recycle stream 25, which is recycled to vessel 26. Stream 25 may also optionally contain some dichlorohydrins and their esters. Optionally, a purge stream may also exit vessel 27 as a stream 28 from the recycle stream 25 and/or from the vessel 27 via purge stream 29. The purge stream may comprise compositions of the recycle stream; or salts or heavies that are either fed in with the crude multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons or produced in the process.

Vessel 27 may comprise any well-known suitable separation vessel, including one or more distillation columns, flash vessels, extraction, absorption columns, centrifuges, crystallizers, membrane separators, cyclones, evaporators, heat exchangers or filters; or any suitable known separation apparatuses known in the art. Product stream 24 may be sent to storage, to further processing for example purification, or to a further reaction, for example, conversion to epichlorohydrin. In one example of this process scheme, the catalyst may be chosen such that its chemical or physical properties result in a ready separation of the catalyst or its esters from the desired dichlorohydrins. For example, the catalyst selected for this process scheme may be 6-chlorohexanoic acid, caprolactone, 4-chlorobutyric acid, stearic acid, or 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the process of the present invention generally indicated by numeral 30, in which a vessel 36 is fed with a feed stream 31, containing hydrogen chloride; and a recycle stream containing glycerol, glycerol esters, monochlorohydrin and their esters and catalyst, via stream 35. In vessel 36, which may comprise one or more CSTRs, one or more tubular reactors or combinations thereof, glycerol and monochlorohydrins are converted to dichlorohydins. Stream 32, containing, for example, dichlorohydrins, monochlorohydrins, glycerol and their esters, catalyst, unreacted hydrogen chloride and water exists vessel 36 and is fed to vessel 37. Also fed to vessel 37 is feed stream 33, containing glycerol.

In vessel 37, glycerol reacts with the esters of monochlorohydrins and dichlorohydins to substantially liberate the free monochlorohydrins and dichlorohydins and forming glycerol esters. Additionally, at least some of the unreacted hydrogen chloride that enters vessel 37 via stream 32 is also consumed to form mainly monochlorohydrins. Vessel 37 may also serve as a means to separate the desired dichlorohydrins from unreacted monochlorohydrins and glycerol and their esters. Vessel 37 may include, for example, one or more centrifuges, crystallizers, membrane separators, cyclones, evaporators, heat exchangers, filters, distillation columns, flash vessels, extractors, or any other separation equipment; or vessel 37 may be, for example, a combination of a stirred tank reactor, tubular reactor or similar vessel with the aforementioned separation equipment. Product stream 34, exiting vessel 37 and containing dichlorohydrins, water and residual hydrogen chloride may be sent to storage, to further processing such as purification, or to a process for further reaction, for example to a reaction process for preparing epichlorohydrin. Stream 35, containing glycerol and monochlorohydrins and their esters and catalyst exits vessel 37 to be recycled, as stream 35, to the vessel 36. Optionally, a purge stream may also exit vessel 37 as a stream 38 from the recycle stream 35 and/or from the vessel 37 via purge stream 39. The purge stream may comprise compositions of the recycle stream; or salts or heavies that are either fed in with the crude multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbons or produced in the process.

Some or all of the equipment described above with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 may be made of corrosion resistant materials which are well known in the art.

In the process configuration of FIG. 3, it may be desirable to use relatively large amounts of catalyst, for example from about 10 mole % to about 70 mole % based on glycerol so that the rate of the hydrochlorination reaction in vessel 36 is very fast, and the equipment consequently small. It is also preferred that the catalyst, in the process configuration of FIG. 3, possess chemical or physical properties such that the separation in vessel 37 is facilitated, for example, the use of a catalyst that boils at a temperature substantially below that at which the lowest boiling dichlorohydrins boils may be preferred when the separation method is distillation. Examples of such catalysts include 6-chlorohexanoic acid, heptanoic acid, and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid.

The present invention also includes a novel composition made by the process of the present invention. The compositions of the present invention made by the present process includes for example, dichlorohydrins made from glycerol. Such dichlorohydrins made by the present process are useful in that they comprise high concentration of dichlorohydins, (i.e. 1,3-dichloropropan-2-ol and 2,3-dichloropropan-1-ol) high ratios of the two isomers of dichlorohydins and their esters, i.e. high ratios of 1,3-dichloropropan-2-ol and esters to 2,3-dichloropropan-1-ol and esters, low concentrations of glycerol and its esters and monochlorohydrins, i.e. 2-chloro-1,3-propanediol and 1-chloro-2,3-propanediol and their esters, and low concentrations of undesirable byproducts, i.e. 1,2,3-trichloropropane and chlorinated glycerol oligomeric ethers, such as bis(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl)ether, and their esters.

The compositions of the present invention are useful in the manufacture of epichlorohydrin, giving high yields of high purity epichlorohydrin in short reaction times with low levels of chlorinated by-products that are difficult or expensive to dispose of.

As one embodiment and an illustration of the present invention, but not to be bound thereby, useful compositions (excluding water and inorganic impurities) which may be made in accordance with the present invention, may be made for example from glycerol hydrochlorination. The following abbreviations are used in the tables below:

“1,3-Dichlorohydrin” is 1,3-dichloropropan-2-ol; “2,3-dichlorohydrin” is 2,3-dichloropropan-1-ol; “Monochlorohydrins” include: 1-chloro-2,3-propanediol and 2-chloro-1,3-propanediol and mixtures thereof. Generally, such compositions include for example the following components, excluding fatty acid methyl esters and the like:

Component Mole % Glycerol and its esters from 0.1 to 1 Monochlorohydrins and their esters from 4 to 10 1,3-Dichlorohydrin and its esters greater than 80 2,3-Dichlorohydrin and its esters from 1 to 4 1,2,3-Trichloropropane less than 1 Chlorinated glycerol ethers and their esters less than 0.3

The 1,3-dichlorohydrin to 2,3-dichlorohydrin ratio in the above composition is generally from about 8:1 to about 100:1.

Preferably, the composition of the present invention may be as follows:

Component Mole % Glycerol and its esters from 0.01 to 0.1 Monochlorohydrins and their esters from 3 to 8 1,3-Dichlorohydrin and its esters greater than 85 2,3-Dichlorohydrin and its esters from 1 to 3 1,2,3-Trichloropropane less than 0.1 Chlorinated glycerol ethers and their esters less than 0.2

More preferably, the composition of the present invention may be as follows:

Component Mole % Glycerol and its esters from 0.001 to 0.1 Monochlorohydrins and their esters from 2 to 7 1,3-Dichlorohydrin and its esters greater than 87 2,3-Dichlorohydrin and its esters from 1 to 2 1,2,3-Trichloropropane less than 0.05 Chlorinated glycerol ethers and their esters less than 0.15

Most preferably, the composition of the present invention may be as follows:

Component Mole % Glycerol and its esters less than 0.1 Monochlorohydrins and their esters from 1 to 5 1,3-Dichlorohydrin and its esters greater than 90 2,3-Dichlorohydrin and its esters from 0.1 to 2 1,2,3-Trichloropropane less than 0.02 Chlorinated glycerol ethers and their less than 0.1 esters

The above compositions of the present invention are useful in the manufacture of epichlorohydrin. High selectivity to 1,3-dichlorohydrin and its esters relative to the selectivity to 2,3-dichlorohydrin and its esters results in more efficient and faster formation of epichlorohydin upon reaction with caustic. In addition, low levels of trichloropropane (TCP) in the present composition are desired because it minimizes the cost of handling and disposing of TCP. Low levels of glycerol and monochlorohydrins are also desired in the present composition to maximize glycerol raw material efficiency through high conversions to the desired dichlorohydrins.

The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

EXAMPLE 1 Preparation of a Chlorohydrin from Glycerol

To a 100 mL Hastelloy C™ Parr reactor equipped with a Magnedrive stirrer, internal cooling coils, and a thermocouple were added glycerol (30.0 g, obtained from Sigma-Aldrich Chemical Corporation) and glacial acetic acid (4.5 g, obtained from JT Baker Corporation). The reactor was sealed, pressurized to 90 psig with anhydrous hydrogen chloride gas (Airgas Corporation), and heated to 93° C. for 90 minutes and maintained at 90 psig with anhydrous hydrogen chloride gas, after which the reactor was cooled and vented at room temperature (about 25° C.). The reactor contents (65.9 g) were collected, analyzed by gas chromatography (GC), and found to contain the following products: 1,3-dichloropropan-2-ol and its acetate ester (total 92.6 mole %) and 2,3-dichloropropan-1-ol and its acetate ester (total 1.7 mole %). Additionally, a number of monochlorinated compounds (total 4.4 mole %) were detected as well as unreacted glycerol and its esters (total 1.0 mole %). No trichloropropane was detected (with a detection limit of 200 ppm).

EXAMPLE 2 Preparation of a Chlorohydrin from Glycerol/Glycerol Ester Mixture

To a 200 mL Hastelloy C™ high pressure reactor was added a 10 mL glass volumetric flask containing dry glycerol (Aldrich pre-dried over mol sieves, 91 mg, 0.99 mmol), and triacetin (Aldrich, the tri-acetate ester of glycerol, 457 mg, 2.10 mmole). The reactor was sealed and pressurized with nitrogen to 40 psig (three pressure cycles) and was brought to 110° C. with stirring after nitrogen venting. Anhydrous HCl was introduced at a constant pressure of 76 psig and the reaction was allowed to proceed for 3 hours. The reactor was vented providing a product that was found to contain 25.90 area percent 1,3-dichloropropan-2-ol, 68.34 area percent 1,3-dichloro-2-acetoxypropane, 1.57 area percent 1,2-dichloro-3-acetoxypropane, 2.86 area percent 2-chloropropane-1,3-diacetoxypropane and no detectable glycerol, triacetin or 1,2,3-trichloropropane as determined by GC flame ionization detection analysis.

EXAMPLE 3 Preparation of a Chlorohydrin from Crude Glycerol

To a 100 mL Hastelloy™ C Parr reactor equipped with a Magnedrive stirrer, internal cooling coils, and a thermocouple, were added crude glycerol (30.0 g, obtained from Interwest Corporation) and glacial acetic acid (0.6 g, obtained from JT Baker Corporation). The reactor was sealed, pressurized to 120 psig with anhydrous hydrogen chloride gas (Airgas Corporation), and heated to 120° C. for 90 minutes while maintaining the pressure at 120 psig with the anhydrous hydrogen chloride gas. After this time, the reactor was cooled and vented at room temperature. The reactor contents (57.2 g) were collected as a mobile liquid containing a suspended white solid.

The procedure as described above was repeated and 58.0 g of reactor contents were collected from a second reaction. The two reaction products (57.2 g and 58.0 g) were then combined.

After filtration to remove the white solids, sodium and potassium salts introduced with the crude glycerol, the filtrate was analyzed by gas chromatography and found to contain 1,3-dichloropropan-2-ol (95.3 wt %), 2,3-dichloropropan-1-ol (2.6 wt %), 2-acetoxy-1,3-dichloropropane (0.7 wt %), and 1-acetoxy-2,3-dichloropropane (0.1 wt %). Additionally, a number of acetoxychloropropanols (0.87 wt %) were detected. No unreacted glycerol nor its esters, nor trichloropropanol were detected.

EXAMPLES 4-41

The following examples were performed in a 100 mL, Hastalloy C™ Parr autoclave equipped with a Magnedrive stirrer, a thermocouple and internal cooling coils. Glycerol (30 g, 326 mmol, Aldrich 99%,) was added to the reactor, along with a catalyst (10 mmols) or other additives as described in Table I below, and water (3.0 g, 167 mmols), and then the reactor was sealed. The mass of the reactor and contents were recorded. The reactor was stirred and ice-cooled water was cycled through the cooling coils. Hydrogen chloride gas (Airgas Corporation) at the desired pressure of 110 psig was admitted to the reactor, typically resulting in a 15-25° C. exotherm. The reactor was heated to the desired temperature of 110° C., and the reaction allowed to proceed for four hours, while hydrogen chloride gas was fed continuously at the set pressure as the hydrogen chloride gas was consumed by reaction. The mass of hydrogen chloride fed to the reactor was measured by recoding the mass of the cylinder throughout the reaction.

After the desired reaction time of four hours had elapsed, the hydrogen chloride feed was ceased, and the reactor and contents cooled to room temperature. The reactor was then vented and the mass of the reactor and contents were recorded. The reaction product was analyzed by gas chromatography. Selectivities to dichlorohydrins are reported as 100%×moles of dichlorohydrins/moles of glycerol charged.

The following abbreviations are used herein: “1,3-DCH” is 1,3-dichloropropan-2-ol; “2,3-DCH” is 2,3-dichloropropan-1-ol; “1-MCH” is 1-chloro-2,3-propanediol; “2-MCH” is 2-chloro-1,3-propanediol; “BZIM Br” is n-butylmethylimidazolium bromide; “BZIM Cl” is n-butylmethylimidazolium chloride; “Bu4NCl.H2O” is tetra-n-butylammonium chloride hydrate; and “C16Me3NCl” is n-hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride.

TABLE I Molar Selectivities (%) Example Catalyst 1,3-DCH 2,3-DCH 1-MCH sum 4 Acetic acid 90.55 1.93 1.83 94.31 5 Hexanoic acid 90.67 1.91 0.79 93.36 6 2,2-Dimethylbutyric acid 4.63 0.31 38.39 43.33 7 3-Methylvaleric acid 59.49 1.44 27.31 88.24 8 Heptanoic acid 87.45 1.82 3.78 93.04 9 3,3-Dimethylbutyric acid 27.33 0.89 46.55 74.78 10 4-Trimethylammoniumbutyric acid 79.45 1.81 13.22 94.48 11 4-Dimethylaminobutyric acid 81.92 1.86 10.55 94.33 12 4-Aminobutyric acid 88.60 1.93 4.13 94.66 13 Glycine 28.74 0.79 66.71 96.24 14 NNN-Trimethylglycine 5.19 0.26 43.87 49.32 15 NN-Dimethylglycine 5.37 0.24 46.95 52.56 16 Glycolic Acid 30.14 0.87 60.74 91.75 17 Lactic Acid 53.79 1.26 36.33 91.38 18 4-Dimethylaminophenylacetic acid 72.84 1.61 16.02 90.47 19 4-Aminophenylacetic acid 80.14 1.74 10.30 92.19 20 2-Aminobenzoic acid 5.24 0.29 35.30 40.83 21 2-Methylaminobenzoic acid 3.99 0.24 30.53 34.75 22 4-Hydroxyphenylacetic acid 92.24 2.01 0.68 94.94 23 Caprolactam 67.77 1.39 17.73 86.89 24 *Blank, No catalyst 3.38 0.17 31.43 34.98 25 4-Methylvaleric acid 88.32 1.97 0.54 90.83 26 4-Aminobenzoic acid 31.44 0.92 30.62 62.98 27 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid 36.85 1.97 25.27 64.09 28 4-Dimethylaminobenzoic acid 31.07 0.90 35.18 67.15 29 Heptanoic acid + 10 mmol 86.98 1.79 0.98 89.75 BMIMBr 30 Heptanoic acid + 10 mmol 89.95 1.85 1.07 92.86 BMIMCl 31 Heptanoic acid + 50 mmol BMIM 89.59 1.81 0.91 92.32 Cl 32 Heptanoic acid + 50 mmol BMIM 83.47 1.63 0.55 85.65 Br 33 Heptanoic acid + 10 mmol 87.69 1.76 0.75 90.20 Bu4NCl•H2O 34 Heptanoic acid + 10 mmol 89.84 1.83 1.23 92.90 C16Me3NCl 35 Phenylacetic acid 83.96 1.78 3.36 89.09 36 epsilon-Caprolactone 93.69 1.93 0.56 96.17 37 Amberlite⁽¹⁾ IRC-50 14.59 0.46 66.16 81.22 38 Amberlite⁽¹⁾ IRP-64 10.93 0.39 61.07 72.39 39 6-Chlorohexanoic acid 86.09 1.81 0.21 88.10 40 beta-Butyrolactone 64.69 1.55 17.77 84.02 41 gamma-Butyrolactone 93.69 1.93 0.56 96.17 * Example without catalyst ⁽¹⁾Amberlite ® is a registered trademark of Rohm and Haas Corporation. Amberlite IRC-50 and IRP-64 are weakly acidic ion exchange resins.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE A Glycerol Reaction to Dichlorohydrin with HCl, Acetic Acid and Toluene as Azeotroping Agent at Subatmospheric Pressure

To a 500 mL Wharton baffled 3-necked flask equipped with overhead air stirrer, HCl inlet frit, Dean Stark trap with condenser were added glycerol (92.0 g, 1.00 mol), 5 mL of acetic acid (HOAc) and 200 mL of toluene. The reaction under positive nitrogen flow, was heated to reflux with slow purging (no rate determined or flow control) of anhydrous HCl. After 5 hours of reflux, some 23 mL of 6N aqueous HCl was collected and NMR analysis showed the resultant bottom phase to be >85% monochlorohydrin. After 3 hours another 5 mL HOAc was added and again at 6 hours; each time water evolution was very rapid after addition (1-2 mL/15 minutes in trap). The phases were miscible hot after 6 hours and then separated to two phases on cooling. The resulting products were identified by NMR versus standards and a retainer stripped of most toluene was used to provide a 122 g sample of material. The sample was analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis.

The results of analysis and the chemical scheme is shown in Scheme 2 below.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE B Glycerol Reaction to Dichlorohydrin with Excess HCl Purge, Acetic Acid with No Azeotropic Water Removal and Atmospheric Pressure

In this comparative example no attempt was made to rigorously remove water. To a 500 mL Wharton 3-necked flask equipped with overhead air stirrer, HCl inlet frit, and outlet to scrubber, was added 4 A sieve dried glycerol (138.0 g, 1.50 mol), 3.8 g of HOAc (2.75% based on glycerin). This outlet tube was comprised of a non-chilled 16 inch straight condenser (glass) connected to a 1/16 inch polyethylene outlet tube (approximately 7 feet) that was flanged to a 3-foot water scrubbing tower filled with burled, ceramic saddles. The reaction under positive nitrogen flow, was heated to 100° C. and then slow purging (approximately 200 mg/minute) with anhydrous HCl was commenced. The rate and total amount of added HCl was as monitored by a weigh cell. Small aliquots (for example 300 mg) of samples were taken through the side arm at appropriate intervals to complete a crude kinetic conversion profile from which half-life could be obtained. The reaction internal reaction temperature was held isothermal (100° C.±2° C.) with an temperature controller. Over a 24 hour period, a total of 700 g of anhydrous HCl was passed through the solution. The samples were analyzed using wt % GC assays and the final sample was also analyzed for water and HCl content potentiometrically to obtain a total mass balance. The resulting dark brown reaction product (minus the 200 mg retainers) after 23.75 hours of purging was 218.5 g.

The results of analysis and the chemical scheme are shown in Scheme 3 below. The conversion of glycerol to monochlorohydrins and dichlorohydrins is shown graphically in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, “MCH” is the total mole % of monochlorohydrins: 3-chloro-2,3-propanediol and 2-chloro-1,3-propanediol; “MCH-OAc” is the total mole % of acetate esters of MCH; and “DCH” is the total mole % of dichlorohydrins: 1,3-dichloropropan-2-ol and 2,3-dichloropropan-1-ol.

EXAMPLE 42 Glycerol Reaction to Dichlorohydrin with Pressure HCl, Acetic Acid and No Azeotropic Water Removal

After nitrogen purging (two 40 psig pressure/vent cycles), dry glycerin (30.0 g, 0.320 mole) containing 4 wt % acetic acid (1.2 g Aldrich) as a catalyst was subjected to static pressures 90-96 psig of anhydrous HCl with stirring and heating in a magnetically driven, 100 mL Hasteloy-C Parr reactor. This reactor was equipped with an internal thermocouple which measured the internal solution temperature. External heating to the reactor was provided by an immersion bath which was controlled with a temperature controller. At initial internal temperatures of 90° C., an almost immediate exotherm ensued and within 10 minutes the internal reaction temperature was 120-123° C. The exotherm was accompanied by rapid uptake of HCl. The immersion bath was raised to this temperature for 1.5-2 hours and HCl was monitored via a weigh cell (the cylinder) and a computer control system. After this period of time, virtually no more HCl uptake was apparent (approximately 32.1 g uptake). The reactor was cooled to room temperature, carefully vented to an HCl purge column, opened and the contents (68.0 g) were transferred to a glass bottle with a polyethylene screw-cap. Accurate H₂O, HCl and wt % organic balance was obtained on this and other samples.

The results of analysis and the chemical scheme is shown in Scheme 4 below.

A comparison of the results of Example 42 and Comparative Example B is shown in Table II below.

TABLE II Example 42 Comparative Example B Pressure HCl Atmospheric HCL 32.1 g HCl 700 g HCl Component (Wt %) (Wt %) Acetic acid 3.6 0.44 1,3-DCH 53.74 57.78 2,3-DCH 1 1.11 3-chloro-1,2- ND* 9.98 propanediol 2-chloro-1,3- 1.88 4.03 propanediol glycerol ND ND 2-acetoxy-2,3- 4.75 0.34 dichloropropane 1-acetoxy-2,3- 0.43 ND dichloropropane 1-acetoxy3-chloro-2- ND 0.42 propanol acetoxychloropropanol 1.25 0.23 diacetoxychloropropane 0.3 ND Chloroether dimers 0.08 0.3 (RCl's) water 16.8 17.65 HCl 14.97 7.7 Total mass balance 99.3 99.98 *ND = not detected

Comparative Example B shows that prolonged reaction time and loss of catalysts is experienced in the atmospheric pressure example versus the superatmospheric pressure process. Also, unexpectedly, a greater conversion of monochlorohydrin to dichlorohydrin is experienced in the superatmospheric case and less chloroether (RCl) is produced. A major loss of HCl is experienced in Comparative Example B.

EXAMPLE 43

Ethylene glycol (501 mg, 8.07 mmol), 1,2-propylene glycol (519 mg, 6.82 mmol) and glacial acetic acid (102 mg, 1.715 mmol) were placed in a glass vial along with a magnetic stir bar. The vial was placed a 200 mL Hastelloy C™ pressure vessel. The pressure vessel was then pressurized with 40 psig of anhydrous HCl gas. The bottom of the vial was immersed in a water bath at 72-74° C. and stirring and pressure was maintained for 45 minutes. At the end of the reaction, the solution in the vial was transparent and clear in color. The reaction afforded 1.893 g of crude product containing water which was assayed by flame ionization detection gas chromatography. The following products were assayed based upon retention time of known commercial standards: chloroethanol (35.62 area %), 1-chloropropan-2-ol (40.47 area %), 2-chloropropan-1-ol (6.47 area %), unconverted propanediol (3.00 area %), 2-chloro-1-acetoxyethane (5.09 area %), 1-chloro-2-cetoxypropane (4.45 area %) and 2-chloro-1-acetoxypropane (0.75 area %).

EXAMPLES 44-51

The following experiments examining the effect of hydrogen chloride pressure on glycerol hydrochlorination were performed using 30 g of glycerol, 3 g. of water, 12.6 mole % acetic acid. The reaction temperature was 90° C. and the reaction time was 120 minutes. Hydrogen chloride pressure was as indicated in Table III and the selectivities to the dichlorohydrins and their acetates are as indicated.

TABLE III 1,3-DCH Pressure 1,3-DCH Acetate 2,3-DCH (HCl) Yield Yield Yield Example No. (psig) (mole %) (mole %) (mole %) 44 15 0.2 0.0 0.0 45 20 3.2 0.1 0.1 46 25 5.0 0.0 0.1 47 30 10.2 0.1 0.2 48 40 33.5 0.4 0.6 49 55 49.4 0.1 0.9 50 80 82.0 2.2 1.4 51 100 88.7 2.5 1.5

EXAMPLE 52

The following example demonstrates formation of the novel composition of the present invention.

Glycerol (30 g, 326 mmols), water (3.0 g, 167 mmols) and epsilon-caprolactone (1.14 g, 100 mmols) were charged to a 100 ml Parr reactor, heated to 110° C. and pressurized with anhydrous hydrogen chloride to 110 psig. After 4 hours at these conditions, the reaction mixture had absorbed 34.0 grams of hydrogen chloride. The reactor contents were discharged and analyzed and found to have the following composition (excluding water and residual hydrogen chloride.

TABLE IV Component Moles Mole % 1,3-Dichlorohydrin (1,3-DCH) 0.3052 93.414 1-acetoxy-2,3-dichloropropane (2,3-DCH 0 0 Acetate) 1-Acetoxy-3-chloropropan-2-ol (1-MCH 0 0 Acetate) 2,3-Dichlorohydrin (2,3-DCH) 0.0063 1.9197 2-acetoxy-1,3-dichloropropane (1,3-DCH 0 0 Acetate) 2-Monochlorohydrin (2-MCH) 0.0122 3.7294 Acetoxychloropropanol (MCH Acetate) 0 0 1-Monochlorohydrin (1-MCH) 0.0018 0.5545 Diacetins (Glycerol Diacetates) 0 0 Diacetoxychloropropanes (MCH Diacetates) 0.0011 0.3347 Glycerol 0 0 Monacetin1 (Glycerol Acetate) 0 0 Monacetin2 (Glycerol Acetate) 0 0 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP) 0 0 Triacetin (Glycerol Triacetate) 0 0 Chlorinated Diglycerols 0.0002 0.0005 Sum (All Organic Components) 0.3267 99.9527 Sum of Glycerol and Acetates 0 0 Sum of Monochlorohydrins and Acetates 0.0151 4.6186 1,3-Dichlorohydrin and Acetate 0.3052 93.414 2,3-Dichlorohydrin and Acetate 0.0063 1.9197 Trichloropropane 0 0 Chlorinated diglycerol and esters 0.0002 0.0477

EXAMPLE 53 Use of Chlorohydrin to Prepare Epichlorohydrin

The dichlorohydrin (DCH) product prepared from Example 3 above was used in this example. This experiment used a reactive distillation apparatus consisting of a 1 liter jacketed kettle with a bottom outlet equipped at the top with a 30 tray Oldershaw section, feed point for 10% caustic/DCH feed, 6 tray Oldershaw section, aqueous return feed point and a condenser connected to a phase separator. The DCH and 10% caustic were preheated and mixed immediately prior to introduction to the system above the 30 tray Oldershaw section. Operating conditions were a pressure of 250 mm Hg, kettle temperature of 75-77° C., overhead temperature of 65-67° C. and a feed temperature of 68-76° C. The DCH feed rate and the caustic feed rate were adjusted to achieve a 10% molar excess of caustic relative to DCH. A sample of crude epichlorohydrin produced in the reaction/distillation apparatus had the following composition as analyzed by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (area %):

Component Area % Epichlorohydrin 99.00 Glycidol 0.04 1,3-DCH 0.13 2,3-DCH 0.35 MCH 0.05

EXAMPLES 54 AND 55 AND COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES C AND D

Hydrogen chloride was bubbled through a mixture of glycerol (30 g), water (3.0 g) and 10 mmol of catalyst at atmospheric pressure for four (4) hours at 110° C. The hydrogen chloride flow rate was controlled at 20-25 g per hour over the four (4) hour reaction period. After this time, the reaction mixture was cooled and analyzed by gas chromatography to determine the concentration of dichlorohydrins, monochlororhydrins and unreacted glycerol. Table V shows the results obtained using acetic acid, 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid, phenylacetic acid and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid as catalyst.

TABLE V Examples Comparative Comparative Example Example C Example 54 Example D 55 Catalyst Acetic 6-Hydroxy- Phenylacetic 4-Hydro- hexanoic xyphenyl- acetic HCl Used (g) 86.3 92.2 90 101 Reaction Mass (g) 50.75 51.78 48.4 52.5 Initial Glycerol 30 30 30 30 (g) PRODUCTS Moles DCH 0.0502 0.0651 0.0332 0.0363 Moles MCH 0.2432 0.2365 0.2221 0.2399 CONVERSIONS Conversion to 15.4 20 10.2 11.1 DCH Conversion to 74.7 72.6 68.2 73.6 MCH Unconverted 6.9 8.1 17.5 17.5 Glycerol 

1. A process for preparing an epoxide comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a crude glycerol, an ester of a crude glycerol, or a mixture thereof with a source of hydrogen chloride in the presence of a catalyst to produce a chlorohydrin, an ester of a chlorohydrin, or a mixture thereof, said contacting step carried out without substantial removal of water, and at a hydrogen chloride partial pressure of from about 15 psia to about 1000 psia; wherein said crude glycerol, said ester of crude glycerol, or mixture thereof is derived from a renewable raw material; and wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid, an anhydride, an acid chloride, an ester, a lactone, a lactam, an amide, a metal organic compound, a metal salt, a compound convertible to a carboxylic acid under the reaction conditions of the process, and a combination thereof; and (b) contacting the chlorohydrin, an ester of a chlorohydrin, or a mixture thereof formed in step (a) above with a base to form an epoxide.
 2. The process of claim 1, including a co-catalyst selected from the group consisting of a source of chloride, a source of bromide and a source of iodide.
 3. The process of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen chloride source is at least 50 mole % hydrogen chloride.
 4. The process of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen chloride source is hydrogen chloride gas.
 5. The process of claim 1, wherein the chlorohydrin is a dichlorohydrin, an ester of a dichlorohydrin, or a mixture thereof.
 6. The process of claim 5, wherein the dichlorohydrin is 1,3-dichloropropan-2-ol; 2,3-dichloropropan-1-ol; or a mixture thereof.
 7. The process of claim 5, wherein the crude glycerol is crude 1,2,3-propanetriol.
 8. The process of claim 1, wherein the crude glycerol may contain one or more materials selected from the group consisting of 1,2-ethanediol; 1,2-propanediol; 1,3-propanediol; 1-chloro-2,3-propanediol; 2-chloro-1,3-propandiol; 1,2,3-propanetriol; and mixtures thereof.
 9. The process of claim 1, wherein the catalyst has from 1 to about 60 carbon atoms.
 10. The process of claim 1, wherein the catalyst has from two to about 20 carbon atoms and has at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of an amine, an alcohol, a halogen, a sulfhydryl, an ether, an ester, and a combination thereof, wherein the functional group is attached no closer to the acid function than the alpha carbon.
 11. The process of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, propionic acid, hexanoic acid, heptanoic acid, stearic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, 4-methylvaleric acid, phenylacetic acid, cinnamic acid, succinic acid, polyacrylic acid, polyethylene grafted with acrylic acid, epsilon-caprolactone, delta-valerolactone, gamma-butyrolactone, epsilon-caprolactam, 6-chlorohexanoic acid, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acids, 4-aminobutyric acid, 4-dimethylaminobutyric acid, 4-trimethylammoniumbutyric acid chloride, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, 4-aminophenylacetic acid, 5-chlorovaleric acid, 5-hydroxyvaleric acid, 4-hydroxybutyric acid, 4-chlorobutyric, 5-chloropentanoic acid, and mixtures thereof.
 12. The process of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, 4-methylvaleric acid, hexanoic acid, heptanoic acid, stearic acid, epsilon-caprolactone, gamma-butyrolactone, 6-chlorohexanoic acid, 4-aminobutyric acid, 4-dimethylaminobutyric acid, 4-trimethylammoniumbutyric acid chloride, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, 4-aminophenylacetic acid, and mixtures thereof.
 13. The process of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, epsilon caprolactone, 6-chlorohexanoic acid, delta-valerolactone, 5-chloropentanoic acid, 4-chlorobutyric acid, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, 4-aminophenylacetic acid, 4-aminobutyric acid, and mixtures thereof.
 14. The process of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is acetic acid.
 15. The process of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is caprolactone.
 16. The process of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is an ester of glycerin, an ester of ethylene glycol or a compound convertible to an ester of propylene glycol under the reaction conditions of the process said compound selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, propionic acid, hexanoic acid, heptanoic acid, stearic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, 4-methylvaleric acid, phenylacetic acid, cinnamic acid, succinic acid, benzoic acid, polyacrylic acid, polyethylene grafted with acrylic acid, epsilon caprolactone, delta-valerolactone, gamma-butyrolactone, epsilon-caprolactam, 6-chlorohexanoic acid, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acids, 4-aminobutyric acid, 4-dimethylaminobutyric acid, 4-trimethylammoniumbutyric acid chloride, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, 4-aminophenylacetic acid, 5-chlorovaleric acid, 5-hydroxyvaleric acid, 4-hydroxybutyric acid, 4-chlorobutyric, 5-chloropentanoic acid, and mixtures thereof.
 17. The process of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is an ester selected from the group consisting of glycerin monoacetate, glycerin diacetate, glycerin distearate, 1-chloro-2,3-propanediolmonoacetate, a glycerin ester of a polycarboxylic acid, and mixtures thereof.
 18. The process of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is an insoluble polymer or copolymer having carboxylic acid moieties or esters thereof.
 19. The process of claim 18, wherein the insoluble polymer or copolymer is a polyester, polyacrylic acid, polyamide, polyacrylate and copolymers thereof, and mixtures thereof.
 20. The process of claim 1, wherein the catalyst has a vapor pressure lower than the chlorohydrin or its azeotrope with water.
 21. The process of claim 1, wherein the process is carried out at a temperature of from about 25° C. to about 300° C.
 22. The process of claim 1, including the step of separating the desired chlorohydrins of step (a) from unreacted crude glycerol, undesired chlorohydrins and their esters, and catalyst prior to contacting the desired chlorohydrins separated above with a base to form an epoxide.
 23. The process of claim 22, including the step of recycling the separated unreacted crude glycerol, undesired chlorohydrins and their esters, and catalyst to step (a).
 24. The process of claim 1, including the step of reacting the product of step (a) with crude glycerol to convert the desired chlorohydrin esters to the desired chlorohydrins prior to separating the desired chlorohydrins from unreacted crude glycerol, undesired chlorohydrins and their esters, and catalyst.
 25. The process of any one of claims 1, 22, 23 and 24, wherein the chlorohydrin of step (a) is a dichlorohydrin; and the epoxide formed is epichlorohydrin.
 26. The process of any one of claims 1, 22, 23 and 24, wherein the base is a carbonate, bicarbonate or hydroxide of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium or mixtures thereof.
 27. The process of claim 10, wherein the catalyst is less volatile than the desired chlorohydrin, the ester of a chlorohydrin or the mixture thereof; and wherein the catalyst has heteroatom substituents.
 28. The process of claim 1, wherein the catalyst has the following Formula (a):

wherein R′ is selected from an amine, an alcohol, a halogen, a sulfhydryl, and an ether; and an alkyl, an aryl and an alkaryl group of from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms having a group selected from an amine, an alcohol, a halogen, a sulfhydryl, and an ether; and a combination thereof; and wherein R is selected from hydrogen, an alkali, an alkali earth, a transition metal and an alkyl, an aryl and an alkaryl group of from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms.
 29. The process of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of lactones, esters, lactams, amides, carboxylic acids and mixtures thereof.
 30. The process of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of a caprolactone, a carboxylic acid amide, a carboxylic acid lactone, a caprolactam, and combinations thereof.
 31. The process of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid, 6-chlorohexanoic acid, caprolactone, ε-caprolactam, and γ-butyrolactam; γ-butyrolactone, δ-valerolactone, and ε-caprolactone; 6-aminocaproic acid; 4-aminophenylacetic acid, 4-aminobutyric acid, 4-dimethylaminobutyric acid, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, 4-dimethylaminophenylacetic acid, aminophenylacetic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, 4-dimethylaminobutyric acid, 4-trimethylammoniumbutyric acid, and combinations thereof.
 32. The process of claim 1, wherein the renewable raw material comprises a biomass.
 33. The process of claim 1, wherein the renewable raw material comprises an oleochemical.
 34. The process of claim 32, wherein the biomass comprises a cellulosic material, starch, carbohydrate or sugar; or mixtures thereof.
 35. The process of claim 34 wherein the biomass comprises hydrogenolized cellulosic material, hydrogenolized starch, hydrogenolized carbohydrate or hydrogenolized sugar; or mixtures thereof.
 36. The process of claim 35 wherein the oleochemical comprises hydrogenolized sucrose.
 37. The process of claim 33 wherein the oleochemical comprises an oleochemical produced from seed oils, vegetable fats or oils; animal fats or oils, or algae oils; or mixtures thereof.
 38. The process of claim 36 wherein the oleochemical comprises palm oil, palm kernel oil, copra oil, babassu oil, rape oil, canola oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, linseed oil, corn oil, castor oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, soy oil, flaxseed oil, or crambe oil; or mixtures thereof.
 39. The process of claim 1, wherein the crude glycerol is crude 1,2,3-propanetriol.
 40. The process of claim 1, wherein the crude glycerol contains less than 25 weight % water, and less than 25 weight % alkali or alkaline earth metal salts and less than 25% organic compounds other than glycerin, where the total impurities comprise less than 50% of the total.
 41. The process of claim 40, wherein the crude glycerol contains less than 15 weight % water, and less than 5 weight % alkali or alkaline earth metal salts and less than 5% organic compounds other than glycerin.
 42. The process of claim 40, wherein the crude glycerol contains less than 10 weight % water, and less than 0.1 weight % alkali or alkaline earth metal salts and less than 0.1% organic compounds other than glycerin.
 43. The process of claim 1, wherein the crude glycerol is a mixture of crude glycerol, 1,2-ethanediol; 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol; and butanediol positional isomers. 